The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Hart and Mercy, #1)

by Megan Bannen

“You get two deaths to die, little demigod, one from me and one from your mother.”

oh

“Good night. Love you.” “Love you, too.” He was so tired, he could barely form the words. His father carried him up the stairs. His head lolled. His arms grew limp around his father’s neck. His legs dangled and swayed with each step up. They turned into the first room on the left, and Hart’s father laid him gently onto his bed. Hart was already in his favorite pajamas, the ones with dogs all over them—although he couldn’t remember putting them on—and his mouth tasted of toothpaste. His eyes drifted shut as his father pulled up the blanket and tucked him in, but he fought sleep. There was something he meant to ask, something he needed to know. “Dad?” “Yep?” “Why did the Old Gods go away?” “Probably because infinity is a terrible thing. But you already knew that, didn’t you?” Hart did know that, but infinity didn’t seem as scary when his father was beside him. He nodded, and his father leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Good night, Hartley James. I’ll wait for you.”

I may need to book a therapy session after this book lmao

“He left everything to you, Mercy.”

He was the man I wanted to be someday, and then all of a sudden he was gone, and I didn’t have anyone to help me figure myself out. Until you. I thought I’d lost the only father I’d ever have, but now I’m losing you, too, and it feels like losing a dad all over again.”

There was no sense of time or place or memory, only drifting. A familiar softness enveloped him, above and below, smelling of comfort and contentment. Her, his mind whispered, unreeling the single syllable like the filament of a spider’s web. He had the feeling that if he could latch onto it, it would pull him wherever he needed to go.

God this is so fucking beautiful I can see it behind my eyelids when I shut my eyes like a movie scene

“You’ve been out for three days!”

reading this book the week of Easter feels so right, okurrrr Hartley James Jesus Christ Ralston, I see u

He bent down to kiss her. “Hello, Merciful.” She smiled at him, dimples and all. “Hello, Sweet-Hart.”